


Kinship

by patchpuppe



Series: Aurora Borealis [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Caring Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Cold Weather, Crying, Enderman Hybrid Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Family Fluff, Gen, Ghost Wilbur Soot, Insecurity, Lonely Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Memory Alteration, Memory Loss, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Piglin Hybrid Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Protective Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Protective Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Rain, Ranboo-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Sad Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Sick Character, Sickfic, Technoblade & Phil Watson Friendship (Video Blogging RPF), Teleportation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-15 09:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29187255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/patchpuppe/pseuds/patchpuppe
Summary: In the Arctic North of the Dream SMP, Ranboo discovers acceptance in the most unlikely of allies.[chapter 1: Ranboo in the rain][chapter 2: sick Ranboo][chapter 3: Ranboo forgets][chapter 4: Techno hybrid transformation]
Relationships: Ranboo & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Ranboo & Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Ranboo & Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Ranboo & Wilbur Soot, Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: Aurora Borealis [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2179878
Comments: 56
Kudos: 1722
Collections: Dream SMP Fics, The Reasons For My Insomnia





	1. Chapter 1

“ _Ranboo._

_“Ranbooooo._

_Feel the pitter patter?_ ”

Ranboo shifted in his sleep. Ghostbur’s echoing voice was distant in his mind and barely made it past the warm state of fluffiness he felt. Fluffy… like Techno’s dogs that slept around him. Despite their reputation as vicious creatures of chaos, they were very welcome to having a new friend live with them in the kennel. They were the best blanket a person could wish for in this wintry biome. With that satisfying thought, Ranboo snuggled closer against the dogs.

“ _Ranboooooooo_.” Ghostbur called again.

“ _Don’t you feel it coming through the ceiling?_

“ _Drip, drop. Drip, drop._ ” 

Ranboo made a disgruntled noise. He cracked an eye open and stared at the ghost wearily. “What are you talking about?”

“ _Drip_ -” A raindrop splattered on top of Ranboo’s nose, “- _drop_.”

The rainwater stung bitterly, causing him to yelp sharply. Ranboo had tried to explain to Phil how it felt to come in contact with water but it was very difficult. His ender side was much stronger than… whatever else he was mixed with. After an overly long attempt at explanation, they settled on this: Rain to Ranboo’s skin felt like when Phil got water in an open graze. Not enough to seriously harm him, but it was extremely irritating. 

It didn’t rain often in the Arctic Anarchist Commune (snow was much more common and didn’t carry the same effect as rain, Ranboo was delighted to discover), but when it did, it caused a panic within him. He wasn’t like Ghostbur- he couldn’t just fade away until the rainclouds passed. He was helplessly forced into finding shelter and praying no drops would make it through the ceiling. 

Unfortunately for him, the dog house’s rickety ceiling was not very waterproof. 

Now fully awake from the shocking turn of weather, Ranboo pressed his back against the wall and pulled his long legs into his chest. The movement distrubed the dogs, some of them whining and grunting, but they settled down quickly. It was likely they were used to the rain. Ranboo, however, was not.

He squeezed his eyes shut and his breathing unwillingly became quicker and heavier. _C’mon, Ranboo_ , he told himself, _It’s just a bit of rain. Hold yourself together_. 

When a raindrop fell on his knee, his leg spasmed, jerking out in front of him and accidentally kicking a few of the dogs. Though they were probably used to it, Ranboo apologised profusely, anguished at the thought of inadvertently harming them. He couldn’t control the convulsions. Curse of being half Ender.

There were a lot of parts of his Ender heritage that Ranboo didn’t understand, or was scared of exploring. There was no one else on the Dream SMP who he felt he could talk to concerning it. So many of them killed Endermen right in front of Ranboo without a second thought. They were careless to think of how he might feel.

_You should feel grateful they consider you to be human like them_ , Ranboo told him. It was hard being half Enderman and half…. something. He was fortunate that his form was even somewhat human. 

Sometimes he had nightmares about what would happen if he didn’t look the way he did. If he was the colour of obsidian, with purple eyes and long, twiggy limbs. Would they hunt him for his drops? Slaughter him without a moment of hesitation? 

Ranboo couldn’t help the cry of distress that crawled up his throat and escaped out his mouth. The moment it left his lips, he clamped his hands over his trembling mouth and bit back any more cries. Even when the ceiling caved in, drenching him in water, Ranboo stayed quiet. When every particle in his body itched to move, he forced himself to stay still. His hair became limp and stuck to his forehead. It covered the upper portion of his vision. In his pain-induced haze, Ranboo remarked that he should try the hairstyle out more often. It almost completely removed his issue with eye contact.

He didn’t see when Techno and Phil appeared, only noticing them when he felt a warm cape settle over his head. Ranboo looked up with them, his eyes filled with teary eyes that threatened to spill.

Phil’s smile was warm and caring as ever. Ranboo thought he must’ve looked completely pathetic on the floor of the dog house, legs curled up against his chest awkwardly “Hey, mate. Let’s go inside.”

Phil held his arm, guiding him through the dog house while Techno walked ahead of them with his sword drawn for protection. Ranboo hesitated before they left the dog house but reassurance from Phil gave him the courage to take the steps outside.

While they quickly darted up the steps to Techno’s log cabin, Ranboo couldn’t help the irritated cries that left his mouth. Phil gently hushed him.

“You’re alright, Ranboo. Let’s dry you off.”

Inside, Edward was making his usual bubbly noises. Ranboo wasn’t exactly fluent in Ender but he knew enough to understand that he was voicing his concerns about the rain. 

“Edward- Edward’s concerned about the rain.” He managed to stutter. He felt Techno’s heavy gaze on him.

“You understand him?”

“Mhm. Mostly.”

“Huh.”

In the front room, all the furnaces were on, smelting down one material or another, and filled the cabin with a wonderful warmth and gentle yellow glow. All the windows were shut, blocking out any rain.

_Safe here, you’re safe here,_ he told himself.

“Let’s dry your hair off.” Phil said decisively. He rummaged around for a few moments before pulling out a towel. “Uh, hang on. Techno, mate, I’ll need you to give me a hand for this one.”

Techno snorted. Water dripped from his pink hair and Ranboo realised that he wasn’t wearing his crown. In fact, he wasn’t wearing any of his normal gear. Somehow he still managed to look elegant while wearing a sleep tunic and cropped brown trousers. He took the towel from Phil.

Ranboo kept his head down while Techno rubbed his head with the towel. He was harsh with it, but it felt like the harshness was born from a need for effectiveness rather than cruelty. This was the closest they’d ever been, and Ranboo was only just realising how tall Techno was. Despite being barefoot and having no Ender genes, he was only slightly shorter than Ranboo. 

Both of them were heads higher than Phil, who was busy humming to himself while brewing potions. Despite it being the middle of the night, he was more or less fully dressed. The only things he was missing were his geta sandals and robe. 

“Thank you for rescuing me.” Ranboo muttered. Techno gave his head a final pat and threw the towel onto the floor. 

“Nah, it was stupid for us to put you up in the dog house in the first place. I’m sorry about that, Ranboo.”

Done with brewing, Phil turned around and handed him the pink potion. “Potion of regeneration. Drink up!”

The potion had Ranboo feeling stronger instantly. The lingering pains from the rain were gone, replaced by a warm sleepiness. The warmth only spread through his body when Techno put a hand on his shoulder. Usually Ranboo wasn’t huge on physical contact, but this was a good touch. Comforting and soft, much like the subtle glow of the furnaces.

“You can take my bed tonight.” Techno’s voice was low and husky, “I got a feelin’ the hounds will be pretty annoyed if I don’t repair the dog house roof.”

“I’ll take you up, Ranboo. I’m sure we have some extra blankets somewhere too.” Phil said. 

While Techno prepared his things, Ranboo noticed he automatically went to a clothes peg, but his expectant hand grasped onto nothing. “Heh?”

Ranboo took the thick cape from around his shoulders and held it out to Techno. “Sorry- this is yours, right?

Ranboo didn’t see what emotion that passed through his eyes, but he saw how Techno’s stiff shoulders relaxed and his hands stopped clenching his sword so tightly.

“Keep it, alright? I’ll feel better knowin’ you’re warm.”

Shyly, Ranboo nodded and thanked him. Without another word passing between the three of them, Phil led him up the ladder to the attic, where Techno’s bed was. The white sheets were still crumbled. Guilt overtook Ranboo. He really made them rush to rescue him?

Ranboo hesitantly tucked himself into the bed. He was slightly amused by the intricate embroidery on the off-white pillow. He wondered if Techno was the artist, or maybe Phil. With his finger he traced the pretty pattern until he saw Phil kneel down by him. He’d placed several fur blankets over the bed and, on the very top, Techno’s cape.

“Feeling better?”

“Yeah,” Ranboo said into the blankets, “Thanks again, Phil. I don’t know anyone else who would’ve helped me out there apart from you and Techno.”

“We wouldn’t be anarchists if we didn’t help our own.” Phil said fondly. He gave Ranboo’s leg a gentle nudge through the blankets. “Yell if you need anything, okay? Sleep well.”

“You too.”

Phil blew out his torch and disappeared down the ladder. Despite the pitter patter of rain against the glass windows, Ranboo felt safe. Even if he forgot this event before he could write it down, he knew he’d always remember the way it made him feel.


	2. Chapter 2

“ _A-achoo!_ ” Purple particles flew up around Ranboo before drifting down like snow. Miserably, he took another tissue from the box beside him. His mishap in the rain a few days ago resulted in a nasty cold, leaving him bedbound in the attic. 

When Techno returned after repairing the dog house, he found Ranboo sniffling in his sleep and suffering from a runny nose. He alerted Phil of the situation and allowed Ranboo to continue sleeping. For. Fifteen. Hours. Ranboo was absolutely mortified when he was told what had happened.

“You’re not goin’ anywhere till you’re better.” Techno told him as he tried to crawl out of bed. And, as anyone else would when _the_ Technoblade gave them a command, Ranboo obeyed and meekly got back underneath the blankets.

Phil and Techno weren’t around for most of the day, but when they were in the Arctic Anarchist Commune they spent time in the attic with Ranboo. Sometimes he would fall asleep and wake up to Techno sitting in the corner of the room, wearing a pair of glasses and silently ready _The Art of War._ He was a silent guardian, whereas Phil took a more direct approach to helping him. He brewed all kinds of potions to try healing him. Most of them tasted disgusting but Ranboo didn’t have the heart to ask him to stop. He was shocked that the pair of them even went to the effort to care for him.

While bed bound, he spent a lot of time studying _Do not read._ There wasn’t much to add as of late, only things to reflect on. No matter how hard he tried, Ranboo couldn’t remember many of the events he’d written of. Even the ones marked as being important weren’t safe from being forgotten. Ranboo wasn’t sure he could trust the few memories he retained. A part of him was terrified to think they weren’t true memories and they were only things he’d invented to keep himself happy. And when he tried to focus on separating reality from fantasy- _Achoo!_ A painful sneeze would break his meditation.

“Edward isn’t fond of your sneezing.” Phil said one day. He’d managed to bring two bowls of soup up the ladder- one for himself and one for Ranboo, who accepted the bowl with two cupped hands.

“Really?” He asked, “What’s he saying?”

What followed was Phil’s pitiful attempt at Ender croaking. Ranboo almost spat out his soup as he laughed. His cheeks bulged as he tried to hold the soup in.

“What? What? Did I say something offensive? Ranboo!”

Ranboo swallowed his mouthful of soup with a loud gulp. “You- you take back what you said about my mother.”

The two of them dissolved into laughter, attracting the attention of Techno. He poked his head up through the trapdoor. “Everythin’ alright up here?”

Phil, wiping tears from his eyes, nodded and motioned for Techno to come up. Like Ranboo, he had to duck his head to stand in the small annex. With his usual chair being occupied, he settled himself on the arm of it, crossing his legs and pushing his pink braid over his shoulder. 

“Phil’s attempt at speaking Ender is cracking me up.” Ranboo explained. Techno rolled his pink eyes and smiled fondly down at his friend.

Ranboo didn’t know the origins of their friendship. The banter shared between them was filled with inside jokes and sly wit that could only be matched by an old friend. Phil cared for him in a way that seemed fatherly, and Techno was his ruthless protector. Ranboo felt quite honoured to be accepted into their bubble.

He took another sip of his soup. It smelled delicious and tasted even better. “You know, Phil- I think this soup is healing me already.”

“You think so?”

“I do! I think I’ll be back in shape in no ti- _achoo!_ ” 

A flurry of purple particles emitted from him. All three watched as they flew up in the air before drifting down onto the bed, before finally dissolving a few seconds later. Ranboo ducked his head in shame. Downstairs, Edward could be heard complaining.

“Do all Ender hybrids do that when they sneeze?” Techno asked, his tone as flat as ever. 

“I wouldn’t know, really.” His stuffy nose only made the reply sound sadder. Phil reached over and gave his leg a gentle pat through the blankets.

“Don’t worry about it, mate. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.” He sat back with a bright grin, “We all have things that make us different.”

“For example, Phil here has a fatal weakness to baby zombies.”

Techno was promptly shoved in the stomach. Ranboo doubted it hurt but he still gave Phil an apologetic look and claimed it was impossible to resist the opportunity. Then he turned to Ranboo and said, “For real, though: there’s nothin’ to be ashamed of. I understand how it feels to have instincts and urges that can’t be helped.”

And while Ranboo didn’t entirely understand what he meant by that, he appreciated the sentiment. Smiling, he thanked them and went for another sip of soup. However, it wasn’t long until the familiar tickle of an upcoming sneeze returned. It traveled down his nose and when it reached his nostrils.

“ _A-A-_ ”

Ranboo squeezed his eyes shut.

“ _-choo!_ ”

Around him, he felt the air suddenly change. It was thinner, colder, and something fluffy was falling onto his skin. Upon opening his eyes, Ranboo realised he was on the roof of the log cabin! 

_H-how did you get up here?_ He asked himself. The roof was slippy from the snow so he had to focus on keeping his balance. Without any armour a fall from up here would be nasty. 

If he listened carefully, he could hear the confused mutterings of Phil and Techno, which quickly turned into panicked exclamations.

“I’m up here, guys! Come outside!”

In a few moments, both Phil and Techno were standing on the snowy ground, staring up at Ranboo on the roof with looks of mixed confusion and wonder.

“I can teleport!” Ranboo yelled. He even shot his hands up in the air to show how victorius he felt. He’d never teleported before! He didn’t even know it was possible for him! Sure, the fact that he’d had no control over it was concerning and potentially dangerous- but this was the first time his Ender genes had made him do something _cool!_

“Well done, Ranboo! Great job!” Phil praised him through his laughter. “Now… how are you going to get down!”

“Oh… uh….”

“Ha!” Techno’s laugh was loud and startling, especially so in the quiet and peaceful Arctic North. He bent over, slapping his knee as more breathy laughter left his mouth. “He’s stuck up there!”

Even Ranboo could appreciate the hilarity of the situation.

“I’ll go grab my ladders.” Techno announced through wheezes, before ducking back inside the log cabin. Phil stayed outside, reassuring Ranboo that it would be alright. 

“Phil!” Ranboo cried, “Don’t let me forget this, okay? I want to remember this!”

Phil gave him a big thumbs up. Ranboo put his head back and stared at the big, vast night sky. Snow fell on his face but he was delighted by it. When was the last time he’d wanted to remember something? It felt good! Ranboo felt good! 


	3. Chapter 3

The problem with having memory issues was that Ranboo would often forget what he’d forgotten. When explaining the problem to Phil one day, he tried to illustrate his mind as a big shelf that was full of books. He said, “If a book is missing, you can see the gap it left, right? That’s how it is with my memories. I know something’s missing but I don’t know what the something is.” 

If the short term memory loss was a byproduct of his Ender genes, then Ranboo cursed his parents. If it wasn’t then he cursed himself. He’d had to be creative when coming up ways to adapt his life to his condition. The most effective aid was _Do not read_ , which was kept on his person at all times… except from when it wasn’t. In those times, Ranboo completely forgot about the book’s existence. All it took was a slipped finger, a slipped thought, or the cold heart of an all-powerful creature for _Do not read_ to become lost. 

Ranboo woke up one morning with the memory of yesterday still fresh in his mind. He, Phil and Techno went out to chop trees which they used to begin making his shack. The shack was only in its early stages of development but, looking out from the log cabin, it looked quite cosy already. It was nestled into the side of a hill, close to where the new dog kennel would be constructed. Until his shack was ready, Ranboo would still be living in Techno’s log cabin.

Ranboo dressed himself quickly, tying his red tie and settling his black suit jacket over his shoulders. He used to wear it properly, with his arms in the sleeves and it buttoned up to his chest, but recently he’d stopped… why did he stop? Something in Ranboo’s brain twinged and his hand automatically went inside of his jacket, feeling for theinside pocket. Something should be there, something thin and sleek but with a weight to it. But, as his hand searched inside the jacket, he found that the pocket he so clearly remembered wasn’t there.

Ranboo stared at the floorboards with wide eyes. He was so sure there was a pocket, he remembered putting something in there. Something he needed. 

“Everything alright, Ranboo?” 

Phil’s friendly voice snapped him out of his trance. He was on the ladder, his head popping up through the trap door, and smiling brightly. 

“Y-yeah. Just need to finish getting dressed.”

“Good man. Breakfast is downstairs when you’re ready.” 

He disappeared back down the ladder and Ranboo let out a shaky sigh. He briefly wondered if he should ask Phil about the gap in his memory, but decided against it. Phil was always so positive and kind, he would certainly be willing to help, but he would never want to worry the man.

_You can do this yourself_ , he thought, _Just- remember!_

**_Ah, if only it was that easy._ **

Ranboo froze. 

“D-Dream?” 

He looked around the room, then flew down the ladder to the downstairs. Where had Dream’s voice come from? Phil and Techno were sitting at the table, enjoying their morning tea which Ranboo felt terrible for disrupting. But he had to ask, he had to know that he wasn’t mad. 

“Did you hear that?” He panted.

“Hear what?” Techno asked. His pale pink hair was tied up, clipped back with a pretty silver clasp that contrasted with the dirt on the rest of his farming outfit. Studying him now, Ranboo could see the genuine confusion in his face. 

Phil stood up and brought him to sit down at the table. “There’s only been us talking, Ranboo. Are you alright? You’re sweating buckets, mate, sit down.” 

Ranboo took a seat and shakily felt around the inside of his coat again. Something was missing, what was missing? The sun had only just risen and already he was head high in a sinkhole of panic. 

He accepted the tea that was pushed into his hands and gulped it down. As he did so, Phil gently rubbed his knee and murmured comforting words, telling him he was alright, he was safe, there was no one here besides the three of them. All throughout breakfast, Ranboo felt Techno’s pink eyes gazing at him.

While Phil cleaned up he asked Ranboo, “What are your plans for today? Continuing your shack?”

He nodded and twiddled his thumbs. Working on the shack was only a suggestion, but Ranboo clung onto any solid thought his mind had. He needed stability right now. A distraction from the growing unease in his stomach. 

_What’s missing?_ He asked himself. He’d forgotten something very, very important. He gnawed on his lip as he headed outside, carrying an Ender chest of supplies to the shack construction site. The repetitive motions of crafting and inventory sorting- and additionally the natural silence of the boreal biome- left Ranboo with a lot of time to think about what he was forgetting.

In his mind, he conjured up the image of his memory library like the one he’d described to Phil. He reached out a snow white hand to the gap in the bookshelf and squeezed his eyes shut. _C’mon, c’mon, what are you forgetting?_

A green mist seeped into his mindscape. 

**_There’s a lot you’ve probably forgotten, Ranboo._ **

There was that voice again. _Dream._

**_Did you know the brain can store up to 2.5 million gigabytes of memory? Ah, hang on, I should specify. I mean the_ ** **human** **_brain._ **

“Don’t mock me.” Ranboo found himself saying out loud. He could feel snow falling onto his body in the real world, but mentally he was trapped in his library of memories. The green mist continued to invade his mindscape, moving in snake-like slithering motions. Ranboo was helpless to stop it curling around his wrists and ankles.

**_Hard not to_** , Dream replied. While the voice certainly sounded identical to Dream’s, there was no telling if he was the true speaker. Ranboo plucked up a bit of courage and struggled at the mist binds.

“W-Who are you?” He sputtered out.

Eyes wide with horror, Ranboo watched as the mist morphed into a vaguely hand-like shape. An index finger was extended and slowly, teasingly ran across the books on the shelves. 

“No-no! Stop it! I- I can’t lose any more memories! Please...”

But the mist was ruthless. Each book it touched began to fade away until it was gone, leaving a gaping hole in the shelf and, subsequently, Ranboo’s memory. Having memories torn from your mind was _painful._ It felt like having the rough glove of a gardener grab onto your ancient roots and _pull._

Ranboo trashed against his binds. In the back of his mind he was dimly aware of wet snow pressed against his knees and shins, wind pushing back his hair, and his hands lying limply, stupidly, helplessly, as the thread holding his mind together was pulled undone.

By the times his shelves were empty, there was no fight left in Ranboo. Even as the voice mocked him, he made no attempt to fight back. He was tired, so tired. He wanted to fall into a warm bed and… and… a sob rose in Ranboo’s throat- he couldn’t even remember what emotions he could feel.

His body came back to him quickly. One moment his mind was floating in the empty library, the next he was back- sitting in the soggy snow, with tears rolling down his cheeks- but back, nonetheless. He gripped onto his arms tightly and begged the voice not to do anymore harm. He had nothing left to give.

Ranboo didn’t recognise his snowy surroundings. And he certainly didn’t recognise the lithe man tentatively approaching him.

“Ranboo?” He called out, voice gruff. He approached with his empty hands held out in front of them as if he were trying to tame a wild animal. Ranboo felt as scared as a wild rabbit. He scrambled back on his knees, falling onto his behind and only holding himself up by his shaking hands.

“S-stay back.” He panted, “Please. I-I just need a second to remember. I can remember if I try hard enough. I just… I just…”

The stranger knelt down in the snow beside Ranboo, staining his brown trousers but uncaring of it. Fluffy clumps of snow were stuck in his pink hair.

“Ranboo,” The man said, “it’s me, Technoblade. Do you know where you are?” When Ranboo shook his head, he continued, “We’re up north in the Arctic Anarchist Commune. You’ve been living here for a while now.”

Ranboo clutched his head, digging his sharp fingernails into his scalp. “Then why can’t I remember it?”

His acidic tears rolled down his cheeks, leaving behind a trail of pain as they went. Acidic tears were another curse of being part Ender.

Technoblade frowned at him and asked, “Y-your tears hurt?”

Ranboo nodded pitifully and allowed himself to be gathered into the stranger’s arms. Techno directed his head over his shoulder and blindly wiped tears from his cheeks.

Ranboo sniffed, “Stop that, you’re hurting yourself.” 

“I’m willing to go through a lot more than a little bit of acid for my family.” 

Ranboo’s heart fluttered. He felt his body relax and slowly melt into the strong hold of his rescuer. “We’re family?”

“Yeah, we’re family. Phil too.” Techno pressed the side of his head against Ranboo’s and murmured, “We’ll jog your memory and you’ll be back to normal in no time, okay? Let’s get you inside.”

The man held Ranboo’s hand as he led him towards a cosy-looking log cabin. Ranboo noticed that the back of his tunic had spots where the fabric had been singed, exposing skin scorched by his tears. They looked painful, yet Techno hadn’t complained once. The idea of them being family didn’t seem so far fetched. 


	4. Chapter 4

In the Arctic North, all was silent. Quiet and cold as always. Out here, away from L’Manberg and its lights, there were a million stars visible in the sky. The aurora borealis put on a private performance just for the Arctic Anarchist Commune. Through Ranboo’s eyes, the dancing lights were green and red, but Phil had described the borealis as being fantastic purples and turquoises.

Ranboo sat in his shack, his rabbit on his lap, gazing up at the sky sleepily. Things were peaceful out here. In L’Manberg there was constant infighting and arguing. Techno was right when he said government only destroyed what you cared for. 

Ranboo clutched _Do not read_ to his chest. Without it, he could not remember what names had been frantically scribbled out of the friends list, what names were surrounded by acid tear drops. Ranboo hadn’t realised how reliant he was on _Do not read_ until he lost it a few weeks ago. It resulted in a large scale panic and reset in his memory. Thankfully, he had new friends who were able to jog his memory. However, he was unsure if he even wanted to remember the bonds L’Manberg and its government soiled. 

Ranbun shivered in his lap. Smiling softly, he wrapped his black jacket around her, and laughed when he realised he’d swaddled her like a babe. As the laughter left his lips, a puff of white left too. But Ranboo didn’t feel cold, at least not when it wasn’t raining. He wondered if it was his Enderman blood that kept him warm in such cold places, such as the Arctic or the End.

If he’d ever visited the End, he’d forgotten it. But sitting here in the boreal snow biome, where the rest of the world felt light years away- Ranboo figured they were similar.

The landscape was dark and blue, so his eyes naturally flickered to Techno’s log cabin. Inside, Ranboo could see lanterns hanging limply from the ceiling. The golden flames were tiny pinpricks in the vast environment. Ranboo knew that above those lanterns, in the cabin’s highest and smallest room, Techno would be fast asleep. Phil would be somewhere else in the cabin, lying down with his mouth open, letting loud snores escape. 

The first time Ranboo saw him like that, after a late night of monster hunting, he couldn’t help but chuckle. Techno chuckled too and placed a thick fur blanket over his mentor. Ranboo and Techno looked at each other with the same cheeky, knowing glint in their eyes, before Techno excused himself to sort his inventory.

Ranboo held that memory close. It was a small, seemingly insignificant moment he shared with Techno that cemented a bond between them. Ranboo was still too wary to declare it friendship, but there was _something_. With it being too difficult to name, he opted to write down the moments they shared in his book without a title, hoping that he would have a label for them sometime in the future. Until then, Ranboo treasured those snapshots. He read his notes over and over again, not wanting to ever forget them, no matter how insignificant they might seem to another. The memories were like the lanterns in Techno’s cabin: small and golden.

When the flames were suddenly blown from the lantern, Ranboo felt startled. He jumped, shocking Ranbun who leapt back into her run. Ranboo stood cautiously. Just as the lights went out, he caught sight of the lanterns swinging and shaking. Like there was a great force rumbling to life in the log cabin. Possibly, he thought as his eyes moved up to the attic space, from above.

Pulling his jacket tightly around him, Ranboo sprinted to the cabin. He stumbled across the snowy landscape, shivering in discomfort when his feet fell into large piles of snow. It wasn’t the most pleasant of feelings. _If only I was able to teleport willingly_. As he got closer to the cabin, he wondered if he was better off outside than in- with the dogs, who stood with their tails tucked and ears flat against their heads. They calmed slightly as he passed by the kennel, happy to see a familiar face, but Ranboo didn’t stay for long. He crept up the stairs, pressing his hands against the stone as he peered through the front door.

In the dark, Ranboo couldn’t make out specifics. He had to squint to see how the liquids in the brewing stands trembled as the cabin shook. Chests bounced up and down, the items inside rattling furiously, glass bottles fell from brewing stands and Edward made noises of distress. Upstairs, the bell rang deafeningly. With each new wave of force, snow fell from the roof, only to be quickly replaced by a new layer sent down from the black sky. 

There was a brief flash of shiny feathers before the shaking shopped. Only then did Ranboo feel safe enough to enter. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Edward had settled, though he twitched every few moments. Blinded by the dark, he fumbled around to feel for fallen glass bottles that could be salvaged. He pricked himself on shards of broken glass and anxiously sucked the blood from his fingers. He didn’t want to create any further mess. 

Was it an earthquake that caused the commotion? Or something else? Ranboo’s ears twitched. In the attic there was a hushed conversation taking place. Well- it sounded less like a conversation and more like Phil occasionally cutting into a conversation Techno was having with himself. Although most words were lost to his ears, Ranboo could pick up on tone. 

Techno was rambling under his breath. Babbling and prattling like a madman. He flickered back and forth between whispering pitifully and spitting out acid words, and only quietened when Phil interjected. 

Ranboo held onto the ladder leading up to the attic. He stood on the first step and didn’t dare to go any higher. From this position, he could hear the two men better.

“Is it the voices?” Phil asked. He sounded the same way he did when he comforted Ranboo. He couldn’t help the way his shoulders untensed. Phil had a naturally calming presence. So calming that Ranboo felt safe among the wreckage of the cabin.

“Yeah.” Techno said, voice gruff but remarkably small, “Yeah, yeah.”

And the next moment that timid voice is replaced by roaring. That’s the only way Ranboo can describe it. A grunting roar, like a hoglin’s. He flinches by habit, squeezing his eyes shut. His breathing quickened. 

“Hey, come on- calm down. I’ve got you.” Phil said, “They can’t make you do anything. You’re in control, Techno. You have control, not the voices.”

“Blood- for the blood god. Blood- blood for the blood- blood for the blood god- _blood for the blood god_.” 

Ranboo shivered, though it wasn’t caused by the cold.

Ranboo always leaned more to his human side than his Enderman. Back in L’Manberg, he tried his best to maintain eye contact, ignoring the fear he saw in others’ eyes. Ignoring the buzz of the End caused nauseating headaches. But it was worth it. Staying away from that part of him- that unpredictable, arcane part of him he was too scared to explore and no one else could ever possibly understand- was worth it. 

He could feel Edward’s stare. It burned.

Techno roared again, but it was cut off quickly. His murmurs continued, though they sounded muffled now.

“Too loud, too loud- they’re gettin’ too loud. Demandin’ things.”

“Ignore them. Ignore them, Techno. You can do it.”

Ranboo slowly crept up the ladder like a cautious spider. Techno didn’t sound too good. If there was anything he could do to help, he wanted to know. It was the least he could do to repay him for his hospitality. Techno had done so much for Ranboo, he gave him the cape off his back and never once took advantage of his short term memory loss. Ranboo felt so grateful that he’d probably do anything Techno asked of him. 

The attic was cold. The windows had been left open, allowing snow to drift into the room. It landed on Phil’s dark wings, gracing them delicately. When snow touched Techno’s skin, it dissolved on impact with a sizzling hiss.

Techno had sweat through his night tunic. It was completely drenched. He was shaking, but Ranboo doubted it was from the cold. They were feverish shakes, like when Tubbo had the flu a few months ago. 

Seeing Techno like this was already unnerving. Usually he was so collected: he wouldn’t meet anyone unless he was dressed to the nines. He wouldn’t even subject his worst enemies to a bad hair day. Ranboo doesn’t even remember seeing Techno without his crown on, and he was certain that wasn’t due to his forgetfulness.

But what was more bizarre was his body. 

Before Ranboo met Techno, he had a very particular image of him in his mind. And it wasn’t as if the man didn’t live up to the legend- Techno was very cool- but Ranboo struggled to see how this slim, fair-skinned man with cotton-candy-coloured hair, could be a berserker. All doubts left his mind as soon as he saw the man in action.

Now, as he sweated and squirmed on the ground, he looked much more like how Ranboo initially imagined him. 

He’d grown since they last saw each other a mere two hours ago. His shoulders had broadened, leaving rips on his tunic where the fabric struggled to cope. The skin that peeked through was a sandy pink, with tiny brown hairs that stood up sharply. 

Most startling of all was his face. It was _shifting_. Techno clutched at his jaw with shaking hands from which claws grew. The movement of bones underneath skin sent a chill down Ranboo’s long spine. He’d never seen anything so horrifying. 

Most of the movement was happening at his mouth. Slowly, slowly, little bits of white crept out from behind his lips. _Tusks_. Techno shoved a hand into his mouth, desperately pushing back on the growing teeth. The action backfired and the tusks punctured his skin, sending blood splattering across his face. 

Shocked, he let out another roar. Ranboo put his hands over his ears and crouched down, tucking his chin into his chest protectively. His breaths were quick and light like the snowfall. It was lucky he did so- the strength of the anguished cry caused the windows to shatter, sending glass flying into them. The bell rang furiously. Ranboo’s head felt so full.

Briefly, he wondered if the noise could be heard all the way in L’Manberg.

He only lifted his head when he could hear his own quick breathing again. Ranboo wasn’t sure if the particles flying around them were debris or snowfall. Things felt almost… peaceful? Like they were standing in the eye of the hurricane. With Phil slowly flapping his wings, creating a safe bubble around Techno and himself. 

Normally Ranboo and Techno both adamantly avoided eye contact. But now they couldn’t look away from each other.

Techno’s eyes were _white_. Pure, blinding white. 

Like a Piglin’s.

“You-” He stuttered, “You’re like me.”

“Leave, Ranboo. Forget this.” Techno lowered his gaze, “It’s what you do best.”

“Tech-”

“You too, Phil.” He pushed himself out of his friend’s grasp and scrambled into the corner of the attic. “Both of you should leave. I- I don’t know what I-I-” A strangled roar forced its way up Techno’s throat and out of his mouth. He bit down on his fist in a desperate attempt to stop any more noise.

Phil got to his feet and took Ranboo’s arm. He said, “C’mon, I think we’d better give him some space.”

But Ranboo kept his feet firmly planted on the floor, refusing to budge. His green and red eyes were trained on Techno’s quivering frame. How could a man look so fierce and so small at the same time? Ranboo couldn’t leave. There had to be some way to help. He couldn’t leave someone like him feeling like this- especially when they were his friend.

Ranboo slowly edged towards Techno in long, slow steps. His white eyes flashed from between his clawed fingers. Was that… fear he saw?

“Ranboo, no, seriously, get outta here. Scram.” Even after removing his bloodied hand from his mouth, Techno’s speech was muffled by his tusks. The moonlight that seeped into the attic made the white tusks gleam. Ranboo had no doubt that they could pierce flesh without resistance. But he trusted Techno. These past few weeks have shown him that behind the hard exterior, Techno had a heart of gold.

“I trust you. You’re not gonna hurt me.” He whispered. Techno gripped his head in his hands.

“That can’t be guaranteed. Ranboo- when I get like this, there’s no telling what I’ll do.” He spoke between pants. He sounded desperate, like a sob would be the next thing to come from his mouth. “I don’t want to hurt you- I don’t. But the voices- the voices, Ranboo.”

“They have no power over you.” Phil’s voice was lower than usual. He stepped into the moonlight and kneeled beside Ranboo. He still looked nervous, but gave Techno an encouraging smile. “You know I trust you, Tech. You could never hurt us.”

Behind the messy pink hair, Ranboo swore he could see tears drip down Techno’s cheeks.

“I-I’m so scared of my subconscious. I’m so scared that I’m gonna reach out to you and not be able to control myself. That’ll do something that makes me a monster.”

Ranboo reached out and wiped a tear from Techno’s cheek. He gasped slightly and leaned into the touch.

“You’re not gonna hurt your family, Techno.” He whispered, “You said we were family. Me, you and Phil. Family sticks together- and so do hybrids. I know being a piglin must be different from me being Ender, but… well, we’re all we have.”

Phil stretched his wings out around them, wrapping the two hybrids in a feathery hug. The simple act started the momentum of healing, where Techno dove into Ranboo’s arms, spilling blood and tears over them both but neither of them thinking of anything apart from _family_. Techno dug his head into Ranboo’s shoulder and clung onto him fiercely. Like this, Ranboo could feel the warmth of his pinkish skin against his own cold Ender flesh. Family: that was the heading he was missing in _Do not read_. It was in front of him all along, he knew they were family, but this cemented it fully in his mind. Ranboo knew this feeling would be one he would never, ever forget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this is a satisfying end to the story. please be sure to leave a comment, they really motivate me to write more. thanks for reading ! 
> 
> let's be friends on twitter @patchpuppe

**Author's Note:**

> constructive criticism is allowed and encouraged, thank you :]
> 
> let's be friends on [twitter](https://twitter.com/patchpuppe). i post writing sneak peeks there !


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